D’Artagnan Van Dusen was named when his parents reached an impasse on what to call their soon-to-be-born son.

They were watching a Three Musketeers movie — Alexandre Dumas’ fictionalized version based on the life of Comte d’Artagnan, who served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketkeers in the late 1600s and died at the Siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War.

And while Van Dusen’s name piques your interest, so does his story.

After a high school odyssey that started at Helix, continued at Poway after a family move, and proceeded to Horizon, Van Dusen is grateful to have been accepted with “open arms” at Lincoln.

“I’d found a home at Horizon, really loved it there,” said Van Dusen, who said he has embraced his name after some struggles with spelling and pronunciation as a child.

But Van Dusen — and many others — had the rug pulled out from under them when Horizon closed its doors last spring after 32 years.

“Horizon was great,” said Van Dusen, a senior outfielder, who also played football at Lincoln. “I enjoyed everything about it ... sports, academics, the friendships.

“When it closed, I was left scrambling for a school.”

After much soul-searching he chose Lincoln over Maranatha Christian.

“Maranatha is a good school and is much closer to home,” said Van Dusen, who lives in Poway with his family and makes the drive to Lincoln, leaving for school at 6:55 a.m.

“Lincoln has a really good criminal-justice program. There is a great academic support system, tutoring.

“And when I met with (football coach) David Dunn, I liked him very much.”

Football, however, was a problem for Van Dusen. A major shoulder injury suffered near the end of his junior season at Horizon limited his ability to throw.

“I got hurt in the seventh game of the season,” Van Dusen said. “I was scrambling, got tackled from behind and fumbled.

“I stretched out to get the fumble and someone fell on my shoulder.”

The result was a torn labrum and a seat in the pressbox as the Panthers went on to win the San Diego Section Division V championship.

It was an injury, however, that has helped set his career path.

Hampered by his shoulder, Van Dusen saw limited action at quarterback for the Hornets, playing behind Asante Hartzog on a team that went 9-3.

So he turned his attention to baseball and a Lincoln program that is undergoing a revival under fifth-year coach Jay Petterson.

The Hornets are 20-7 overall and 9-2 in the Central League heading into the regular-season finale against Kearny on Wednesday for a share of the league title.

Prior to this season, the Hornets were 27-108 since their last winning season — 14-13 — in 2011. Over the last nine years, Lincoln was 55-183, a winning percentage of .231.

“This has been a work in progress,” said Petterson, a full-time firefighter, who played at Grossmont College. “There was no pride. No accountability.

“A buddy started the firefighting program at Lincoln. I got involved in that and saw a need in the baseball program. We’ve been able to slowly flip things around.”

Ander Manzanet is headed to Seattle University. Hector Enriquez and Rawnell Walker are going to UC San Diego. And Jose Calderon plans to play at San Diego City College.

“We’ve got a lot of good players, but D’Artagnan is an on-field monster,” Petterson said. “He’s an undiscovered gem, a switch-hitter, who I would put up against the fastest guys in the county.”

In the 60-yard dash — the measuring stick for a baseball player’s speed — Van Dusen has been clocked at a 6.61 seconds. Anything under 7.0 is considered fast.

From home to third, he’s been clocked at 11.31. Billy Hamilton of the Cincinnati Reds, considered the fastest man in baseball, goes home-to-third in 10.58 seconds.

Plus, Van Dusen’s other numbers — a 3.4 GPA and 1,120 SAT score — are college worthy. But without a junior season for Van Dusen, colleges have been slow to call. Pro scouts don’t know his name.

Petterson said only recently schools like Point Loma Nazarene, Cal State San Marcos, University of the Pacific, San Diego State and several community colleges have expressed interest.

“On grades alone, someone needs to take a chance on D’Artagnan,” Petterson said. “The kid flies. He has great instincts. He’s smart on the bases. And he gets great jumps in the outfield.

“In a game against Hoover, he made a Willie Mays over-the-shoulder catch that was just spectacular.”

And he has hit a ball onto the new Lincoln gym beyond the fence in deepest right-center field.

“I thought I was a football player, but baseball is my path now,” Van Dusen said. “Because of the shoulder injury, I basically had an 18-month break from the game. My swing has a lot of components, so it has taken time to get it back.

“I worked with Reggie Waller (a former scout and instructor) and things are coming back.

“My teammates are so great. They’re excited for me. The coaches are awesome.

“I really think I’m in a good place now.”

john.maffei@sduniontribune.com

CAPTION

Hilltop wins 50-48.

Hilltop wins 50-48.

CAPTION

Hilltop wins 50-48.

Hilltop wins 50-48.

CAPTION

Granite Hills H.S. wins 8-7.

Granite Hills H.S. wins 8-7.

CAPTION

Saint Augustine wins 66-44.

Saint Augustine wins 66-44.

CAPTION

La Jolla wins 11-7. Followed by an interview with Ciara Franke from La Jolla

La Jolla wins 11-7. Followed by an interview with Ciara Franke from La Jolla

CAPTION

Anthony Sola is a Linebacker from Morse H.S. Ace Roach is a Quarterback from Rancho Buena Vista H.S.

Anthony Sola is a Linebacker from Morse H.S. Ace Roach is a Quarterback from Rancho Buena Vista H.S.